It's not like we need another excuse to plunge into the cold Atlantic. The heavy heat is already a motivator.

But flopping haphazardly amid the waves, or bobbing in the water like a displaced log, just doesn't look as cool as, say, surfing.

Maybe you've watched the surfers at Higgins or Gooch's Beach and thought, "I want to do that."

Maybe that adventurous musing was quashed by the thought that followed: "But I'll look like an idiot."

No beginner surfer wants to look foolish. We don't want to be called "kooks," even though we won't even know what that means.

The fear of failure (and the impending surf-community mockery) is usually enough to kill anyone's wave-riding potential.

But a surf lesson, in the company of other novices, could be your ticket to surfing mastery.

Hint: Aquaholics in Kennebunk offers FREE surf lessons during Mother's Surf on Wednesday mornings.

[Eugene Cole photos]

Nanci Boutet, owner of Aquaholics and our surf lesson mentor, gave swift and solid instructions to last week's class.

Everything's included during Mother's Surf: board and wetsuit rentals, instruction and the freedom to fall time and time again.

And fall we did last week.

But it wasn't long before I spotted new surfers popping up along the whitewash at Gooch's Beach.


Even I managed to stand up a few times.

The Mother's Surf lesson runs 10:00 am-noon on Wednesdays through August. They'll switch to Tuesdays in the fall.

Registration is limited, so you need to call early to seal a spot. An insider's tip: call on Wednesday morning to get in for the following week. If you wait until Wednesday afternoon, consider yourself "wait listed."

And while it's called Mother's Surf, there were still some childless women in the group and even a fellow or two. So don't bother faking that family photo.

FMI or to reserve a spot: www.aquaholicsurf.com or 967.8650

Thanks to Eugene Cole for use of the Surf Camp photos. See all his images at www.eugecole.smugmug.com or check out his Huge Surf blog